South Korea struggles to contain deadly wildfires
SEOUL
Deadly wildfires in South Korea worsened overnight, officials said on Tuesday, as dry, windy weather hampers efforts to contain one of the country's worst-ever fire outbreaks.
More than a dozen different blazes broke out over the weekend, with the safety minister reporting thousands of hectares burned and four people killed.
"The wildfires have so far affected approximately 14,694 hectares, with damage continuing to grow," acting Interior and Safety Minister Ko Ki-dong said.
The extent of damage would make the fires collectively the third-largest in South Korea's history. The largest was an April 2000 blaze that scorched 23,913 hectares across the east coast.
More than 3,000 people have been evacuated to shelters, Ko said. At least 11 people have been seriously injured.
"Strong winds, dry weather, and haze are hampering firefighting efforts," Ko told a disaster and safety meeting.
The government is "mobilizing all available resources," he said.
In Uiseong, the sky was full of smoke and haze, AFP reporters saw. Workers at a local temple were attempting to move historical artefacts and cover up Buddhist statues to protect them from possible damage.
The Korea Forest Service said the containment rate for the fire in Uiseong decreased from 60 to 55 percent by Tuesday morning.
